Hearing assistance devices, such as hearing aids, may be equipped with switches to adjust modes of operation or adjust the volume. Further, hearing aids may be equipped with radios capable of sending and receiving audio and digital information. Wireless communication in the RF spectrum requires antennas capable of receiving signals. Mechanical switches can become unreliable after many uses and are a source of failing within the hearing instrument. Further mechanical switches provide a potential point of ingress for dirt and moisture making them still more prone to failure. By eliminating the mechanical switch used in a hearing instrument, the entire instrument becomes more reliable and lowers the cost to manufacture it.
Recent advancements in switches on hearing aids include “touch-less” or human finger proximity sensors. These sensors may be physically large and may take up a significant amount of room within a small device such as a hearing instrument. One such switch involves measuring a changing capacitance in the presence of the human finger; however, the conductors for such a sensor may be relatively large.
There is a need in the art for improved finger sensors for hearing assistance devices.